Ukraine's General Staff of the Armed Forces announced on 21/2 that it conducted an overnight strike using Flamingo cruise missiles, hitting the Votkinsk factory in Russia's Udmurtia Republic. Reports indicated a fire in the factory area, and the extent of the damage is still being assessed, according to the statement.
The General Staff stated that the Votkinsk factory specializes in producing RS-24 Yars and R-30 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, Iskander-M tactical ballistic missiles, and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. Ukrainian media suggests the plant might also manufacture the Oreshnik ballistic missile, which carries a hypersonic warhead.
Aleksandr Brechalov, head of the Udmurtia Republic, announced that a facility in the region was attacked by a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), causing property damage and casualties, without providing specific details. Russia's Ministry of Defense announced on the same day that air defense forces intercepted 5 Flamingo missiles, but did not specify the total number launched by the adversary.
AMK Mapping, an X account that tracks open-source intelligence on the conflict, stated that Ukraine's Flamingo missile flew over 1,600 km in the strike, and Russian air defenses failed to intercept all of them. The account added that Ukraine also deployed jet-powered UAVs targeting the Votkinsk factory.
Videos posted by local residents online and geolocated showed smoke rising from the Votkinsk factory area, though the precise extent of damage remains unclear.
The Flamingo cruise missile, produced by Ukraine's Fire Point company, boasts a 1,150 kg warhead and a 3,000 km range, surpassing the capabilities of Western weapons provided to Kyiv.
Ukraine's General Staff previously announced it had conducted "a series of successful strikes" against the Kapustin Yar training ground in Astrakhan province using domestically produced long-range weapons, including Flamingo missiles, in January. However, satellite images later showed the damage was relatively minor, affecting only some auxiliary structures.
Flamingo missiles were subsequently used to target an ammunition depot in Russia's Volgograd province on 12/2, triggering significant explosions.
Ukrainian media suggests the Flamingo series may have undergone upgrades. According to previous information, Kyiv reportedly plans to equip the Flamingo with a system for low-altitude flight, likely incorporating terrain contour matching (tercom) technology.
This system operates by using specialized radar or radio altimeters to compare the terrain below with a stored map, independent of satellite signals and enhancing resistance to jamming. Additionally, low-altitude flight also makes the missile harder for ground radars to detect.
Pham Giang (According to Ukrainska Pravda, Kyiv Independent, TASS)
